Southeast Radiation Medical and Science Complex Tightens Efforts to Attract Busan 'Urban Convergence Special Zone' Again

Gijang-gun Reemphasizes 'Optimal Site for Dongnam Industrial Complex' Amid Ministry of Land's Reserved Decision

County Governor Oh Gyu-seok Declares "We Will Make a Forward Base for the 4th Industrial Revolution by Attracting a Special Zone"

Busan Gijang County Office.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] Busan's Gijang-gun is further expanding its dream of attracting the Southeast Radiation Medical and Science Industrial Complex as a ‘Downtown Convergence Special Zone.’

Gijang-gun stated that since the selection of candidate sites for the Downtown Convergence Special Zone announced by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on March 10th deferred the decision for the Busan area, and as the procedures are still ongoing, it will make every effort to attract the Southeast Radiation Medical and Science Industrial Complex.

The ‘Downtown Convergence Special Zone’ is a special zone modeled after the ‘Pangyo 2nd Techno Valley,’ designed to establish a complex zone with excellent infrastructure for industry, residence, and culture in the downtown areas of major provincial cities (Busan, Daegu, Daejeon, Gwangju, Ulsan).

This is promoted as a large-scale national balanced development project through cooperation among government ministries including the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

The Southeast Industrial Complex, being developed over an area of 1,478,772㎡ (approximately 450,000 pyeong) around Jang-an-eup, is claimed by Gijang-gun to have all locational conditions and infrastructure necessary for designation as a Downtown Convergence Special Zone, including advanced industry, transportation, culture, commerce, medical care, and education.

Gijang-gun has submitted proposals to Busan City and actively conducted attraction activities to create this area as a high-density innovation space based on radiation medical and science advanced industries.

Recently, Busan City submitted to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport the final candidates for the Downtown Convergence Special Zone, with the first priority being Centum 2 District in Haeundae-gu, and the second priority being the Southeast Industrial Complex area in Gijang-gun.

Gijang-gun issued a statement on the necessity and justification for designating the Southeast Industrial Complex area as a Downtown Convergence Special Zone and strongly requested the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on February 19th and 24th to evaluate based on accurate criteria and standards regardless of the recommendation order.

Due to these efforts, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s announcement deferred the decision on the Busan area candidate sites, returning the Downtown Convergence Special Zone designation process to the starting point.

Gijang-gun believes this indirectly proves the competitiveness of the Southeast Industrial Complex as a Downtown Convergence Special Zone and is putting more effort into securing its designation.

Oh Gyu-seok, the mayor of Gijang-gun, said, “The Southeast Industrial Complex is a large-scale innovation project promoted over 1.48 million square meters (450,000 pyeong) with a pure local government budget of 319.7 billion KRW, carefully managed by Gijang-gun to save and allocate residents’ taxes, and it is a core campaign project of the mayor.”

Mayor Oh added, “It is also a differentiated industrial complex leading Korea’s radiation medical and science field, which is rare among basic local governments nationwide. Major national projects such as the export-oriented new research reactor development project, heavy ion accelerator treatment center project, radioactive isotope fusion research infrastructure project, and power semiconductor industrial cluster creation project are underway. Additionally, efforts to attract strong small and medium enterprises and leading domestic large corporations in future advanced electronics and electrical fields related to these projects are ongoing in the region.”

He further stated, “The Southeast Industrial Complex already has the site prepared and is close to completion. If designated as a Downtown Convergence Special Zone, Gijang-gun is ready to provide full financial and administrative support and start construction immediately,” expressing a strong will to attract the Downtown Convergence Special Zone.